Combined rail-brace and tie-plate.



.No. 807,031. PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

D.0.JOHNSON.

COMBINED RAIL BRAOE AND TIE PLATE.

APPLICATION FILED IIEB.7.1905.

WIT%SSES: W/ZZVTOR M BYMQ W I Altar/16y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Appliriation filed February '7, 1905. Serial No. 244,533.

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, DEWITT C. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hutchinson, in the county of Reno and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Rail-Brace and Tie-Plate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rail-braces, and particularly to that class known as combined rail-braces and tie-plates.

The object of my invention is to provide a combined rail-brace and tie-plate for securing and laterally bracing the rails of a railroad-track against force exerted laterally against the same.

Furthermore, the object is to provide a combined tie-plate and railbrace having means for securing the brace horizontally to the side surfaces of the tie.

Furthermore, the object of the invention is to provide a rail-brace having teeth set at an angle and adapted to penetrate the surface of the tie, whereby the lateral force of the rail against the brace will force the teeth into the surface of the tie in such a manner as to prevent the lateral movement of the railbrace and tie-plate.

Finally, the object of my invention is to provide a strong and durable rail brace which may be used on Wood or metallic ties and to provide a construction which shall admit of the rail-brace abutting against a rail in a manner to support and strengthen the rail and at the same time provide means for securing the rail-brace to the ties in such manner that the securing-spikes, bolts, or screws will not be loosened by the vibrations of the passing trains or raised by the heat of the sun.

With the above and other objects in view my invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of'parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

A rail-brace constructed in accordance with my invention may be either struck up of wrought or malleable iron or steel or it may be made of cast iron, steel, or malleable iron or other suitable metal, it being immaterial w-hether the brace be struck or cast from the metals hereinbefore mentioned or specified or from any other desirable metal so long as the prominent features referred to are preserved.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawof the invention ings, forming part of this specification,wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention secured in position on a tie and supporting the rail. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the rail-brace and tie-plate. Fig. 4 is a modified form showing a central supportingstrip secured on. the outer surface of the brace.

In the drawings, 1 denotes a base or tie plate which may consist of a single piece of metalbent upon itself to form a rail-brace 2 or it may consist of two plates by severing the base-plate at the angle 3 but I prefer to make the rail-brace and tie-plate out of a single piece of material.

The rail-brace 2 is bent at an angle 4, so it will conform to the contour of the rail, and it terminates in an abutting shoulder 5, which fits against the vertical edge of the web of the rail;

I form on each side of the rail-brace ears 6, having a central aperture 7. Said ears extend parallel with the side surface of the tie and are secured to the tie bymeans of a spike, bolt, or screw driven or threaded in the tie in a horizontal position.

It is to be noted that heretofore rail-braces and tie-plates have been secured to the tie by means of spikes driven through apertures in the brace and into the tie in a vertical position. The vibration of the rail, caused by rapidly-'passing'trains and also by the heat of the sun, causes the spikes to be drawn upward and this results in the loosening of the railbrace and tie-plate. To obviatesuch difficulties, I provide the ears 6, which are secured to the ties in a horizontal manner in order that the vibrations of the trains or the heat of the sun may not loosen the spikes or have any tendency to draw them out of the tie. I also provide teeth 8, bent at an angle to engage the upper surface of the tie in such manner that the lateral pressure of the rail against the brace will be exerted to drive theflange or teeth into the surface of the tie. The rail-brace being bent approximately to the contour of the rail holds the flange of the rail rigid upon the outer side, and when it is desired a spike may be placed or driven along the outer edge of the inner flange edge; but this may be dispensed with, as the pressure of the rail is at all times toward the brace by reason of the flanges on the wheels.

In Fig. 3 I show a modification of my improved rail-brace and tie-plate having a cen tral strengthening-plate 9, which may be brazed or soldered on the rail-brace or it may be cast integral therewith.

The construction, operation, and advantages will, it is thought, be understood from the foregoing description, it being noted that I reserve the right to make various changes in the proportions and detail of arrangement so far as the same may come within the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a combined rail-brace and tie-plate made of a single piece of metal and having the rail-brace bent up from the tie-plate approximately to the contour of the rail, and having said rail-brace terminating in an abutting edge to fit the under surface of the head, of the rail and means for securing the rail-brace and tie-plate to the tie substantially as described.

2. In a combined tie-plate and rail-brace, comprising a tie-plate having an end turned upon itself to form a railbrace,-said railbrace terminating in an abutting edge adapted to support the web of the rail, and ears formed integral with the rail-brace and bent at an angle to the brace, means for securing the rail-brace and tie-plate to the tie as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DEWITT C. JOHNSON. 

